Election officials predict good turnout

Election polling places will be open from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. Tuesday, and the weather is expected to be sunny and a crisp 43 degrees.

There's no excuse to shirk one's patriotic duty to cast votes for the president of the United States, and local representatives to federal and state governments.

Voters will be asked, but not required, to show an acceptable photo ID on Election Day, according to Pennsylvania's VotesPA website.

All photo IDs must contain an expiration date that is current, unless noted otherwise. Voter's names on their photo IDs do not need to exactly match their voter registration, but the names must substantially conform. Acceptable IDs include photo IDs issued by the U.S. Federal Government or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (including the Department of State Voter ID Card); a driver's license or non-driver's license photo ID (IDs are valid for voting purposes 12 months past expiration date); a valid U.S. passport; a U.S. military ID active duty and retired military (a military or veteran's ID must designate an expiration date or designate that the expiration date is indefinite).

Military dependents' ID must contain an expiration date; an employee photo ID issued by federal, state, county or municipal government; a photo ID from an accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution of higher learning, including colleges, universities, seminaries, community colleges and other two-year colleges; or a photo ID issued by a Pennsylvania care facility.

Election officials in Carbon and Schuylkill counties believe the turnout will be good. In Carbon County, 38,949 people are registered to vote. In Schuylkill County, 86,320 are registered.

"We had almost 1,500 absentees, and that's a lot. I think it's going to be very busy. We're prepared," said Carbon County elections chief Lisa Dart.